In the field of printed circuit boards, it is known that various types of devices and circuits are used to provide control of an electronic system. Binary "one" signals and binary "zero" signals are provided to inputs of the various types of devices used in the system. These signals provide direction and alteration of the function of a particular circuit in accordance with the type of business machine.
In one arrangement in the prior art, a predetermined portion of a print pattern on a flexible printed circuit board is disconnected to alter the function of the circuit. For example, Japanese Laid Open Utility Model Specification No. 123357/84 discloses a notch formed in a reinforcing plate to guide a cutting tool used in cutting a flexible circuit board. It is also known that a switch or a jumper wire may be used to set or alter the control code of a central processing or control unit. However, the use of a switch to alter an established code requires additional space in the control unit and also is more expensive. The use of a jumper wire is objectionable by reason that soldering or the like is required to connect the wire and it is difficult to establish a unique code.
Representative documentation in the field of changing modes of operation includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,311, issued to R. A. Dunbar on Oct. 17, 1972, which discloses a card and a card reader with plates forming capacitors in series to read bits of information encoded in the card when in the connected condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,314, issued to R. A. Hedin on Nov. 26, 1974, discloses a key actuated security system having an opening mechanism and an alarm device. The alarm device is actuated either by binary "1" to an input for which binary "0" is proper, or by binary "1" to fewer than all inputs for which binary "1" is proper. A portion of the system is switchable to change modes of operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,750, issued to H. Wolflingseder on Dec. 23, 1975, discloses a code card with first and second branch conductors wherein severance of one branch conductor results in a pattern of two different voltages upon insertion of the card into a decoder. Leads are connected to electrical midpoints of closed circuit loops which are connected as an AND gate to generate a voltage on an output terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,883, issued to P. Lagarde on Sep. 21, 1982, discloses a method of marking and identifying objects by use of electrically conducting elements and detecting variations in response signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,475, issued to A. Gercekci et al. on May 1, 1984, discloses an IC chip having a memory wherein direct access to a portion of the memory is prevented. When the IC chip is removed from a wafer, the coupling lines which extend off the chip are destroyed so as to prevent such access.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,339, issued to M. J. Redman et al. on Sep. 1, 1987, discloses an address code arrangement in a cordless telephone wherein a PC board having a single common track is associated with label means having a plurality of conductive strips. A dialing connection is permitted only when a single address code is established.
And, U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,878, issued to H. D. Gunkel et al. on Oct. 20, 1987, discloses apparatus for assigning addresses to modules based on contact configuration. A module code is stored in each module in a first memory and a plug location code is sent to each module. A control unit sends the relevant addresses to the respective modules by addressing the plug location codes.